To celebrate International Women’s Day, we spoke with two female cargo bike operator business owners to find out more about women in the sustainable transport and delivery industry. These industries are typically very male-dominated and as part of this year’s theme of #BreakTheBias, we wanted to showcase businesses who do just that.
In part one of our two-part series, we met with Farah Asemi, Founder and CEO of ecofleet, a London-based logistics company who focus on deliveries within the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry.
How did you get started in the industry?
Before I started ecofleet, I had never worked in sustainable transport! I used to work as an interior architect and property developer and one day in 2018, as I was trying to travel across London, I thought that there must be a better way of getting around a congested city without polluting the air and getting in a car. Soon after, I came across my first cargo bike and thought that this could be the solution!
I founded ecofleet in 2019 and back then, people used to stop and stare – people weren’t used to seeing cargo bikes! Nowadays more and more businesses and individuals want to use the service as it beats the traffic. Equally, we come across individuals and businesses who well and truly care about their carbon footprint.
What does ecofleet do?
Up until February of this year, we operated from Battersea, but have now relocated to Chiswick. We also shifted our focus from all types to solely deliveries for the healthcare industry. For example, we deliver test kits, medication from pharmacies to their clients and medical supplies. We had our first experience in the medical industry through our work with Cross River Partnership, which gave us the opportunity to deliver items for pharmacies and start doing NHS deliveries. When it comes to training, we pay for the training of all of our riders to Bike Ability level three.
As a company, being able to be present for our customers is important. We don’t want people having to navigate complicated websites, virtual robots or automated phone systems. When our customers call us, they speak to a real person who’s on-hand to help with whatever they need.
What’s the most unusual delivery you’ve made?
As we focus on the healthcare industry, we don’t get any unusual requests, however, before we shifted to healthcare, we delivered a wide variety of goods including large flower arrangements, office catering, dry cleaning and client gifts. We have engaged with several charitable community initiatives such as Power to Connect where we delivered laptops to children during the multiple lockdowns. The bike capacity of our cargo box is 623 litres which is equivalent to 102 bottles of wine!
What advice would you give to businesses hesitant using a cargo bike operator?
For businesses, it’s important to speak to a cargo bike operator first to understand what they do, as not all operators are the same. Before we onboard clients, we ask them a multitude of questions to understand their needs and requirements. To make sure that they understand how we work, we offer a free trial so they can better understand the service. That way, everyone’s expectations are managed and we’re able to provide a service that best suits the client, their business, and their customers.
There aren’t many female riders in the industry, why do you think that is and what can be done about it?
When we first started, ecofleet did not have any female applicants nor did I see that many on the road. I think women see the size of the bike and feel it’s a lot to handle on the road, but honestly with training and shadowing another rider, a female rider can do the same deliveries. Nearly three years on and I can say that the perceptions on this mindset are shifting quickly.
What advice would you give to women who want to join the industry but are unsure because it’s quite male dominated?
Even though we have been competitors, I can honestly say that the founders and CEOs of all our competitors including Rob at Zedify, Ben and Chris at Pedal Me and Daniel at Mango Logistics, have been most welcoming, helpful and respectful. I would not hesitate to call any of them for advice. We also work with Dan and his team at Fully Charged who have been nothing short of amazing. As they sell to the public, they are used to selling to men and women. I would encourage more women to enter this space not just to have fun but also to make a difference. Every zero-emission delivery made by a cargo bike matters.